Fwd: Privacy threat alert (S.486/HR.2987)

From: Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Date: Wed May 24 2000 - 15:50:02 MDT


Richard Rostrom wrote:
>
> {#} To reply to the author, write to "Richard Rostrom" <rrostrom@21stcentury.net>
>
> I wouldn't normally post something like this, but the
> issue seems serious and I know many of the list members
> have very strong feelings about privacy issues and
> government powers of intrusion.
>
> In the article at the following URL,
>
> http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment051800a.html
>
> the author asserts that an obscure provision of certain
> bills now before Congress (S.486, HR.2987) will grant the
> Federal authorities greatly enlarged powers to conduct
> secret searches.
>
> Right now, under certain circumstances, a search warrant
> may be executed by stealth and without notice to the
> subject, though the subject must be notified eventually.
> The proposed change would supposedly extend this to all
> Federal search warrants, and allow searchers to copy
> document images and electronically stored files to
> be copied without _any_ notification to the owner.
>
> The bill really exists, the language in the section
> he references really does affect search and warrant
> law. I can't quite tell if it means what he claims it
> does - part of it is an amendment to a Public Law which
> is not on line. Other parts amend US Code which is
> on-line, and it sure looks like it _might_ do just
> what the author says.
>
> Those of you who are concerned with such matters may wish
> to investigate this issue further.
>
> Rich 'the price of liberty is eternal Web searches' Rostrom
>
> Rich Rostrom | It would have been entirely possible for me, in the
> | state of mind I was in that Friday, to have gone
> rrostrom@ | about all day with the automobile jack in my hand.
> 21stcentury.net | -- James Thurber, _Guessing Game_



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